Looymans, Leo, Louis and Martinus Hubertus “Martin”.

Looymans Leo Louis, born 18-01-1925 and Martinus Hubertus “Martin”, born 02-12-1918, in Budel Dorplein, Netherlands, close to the Belgium border, where two of three resistance brothers of my godmother Annie Looymans, were murdered. Like in many villages, Budel Dorplein had a group of resistance people who helped persons in hiding, Jews, crashed pilots and they committed sabotage. In Budel/Dorplein there was the group, Johannes “Jan” Zantvliet   a military policeman, born in Rotterdam on 22-12-1918, Cornelis Hendrikus “Kees” Kappers  a custom officer, born in Winterswijk, on 25-07-1916. and member of the Belgium resistance group the White Brigade, Antonius Everardus “Anton” van der Putten, born in Budel 09-04-1920. member of the resistance group Sabotageploeg Dorplein Jan Theodorus “Theo” Stevens, born in Budel on 26-09-1923.  and the three Looymans brothers. Their enemy were not only the Germans but also the Dutch collaborators. At the end of the war the people of the NSB ,under Anton Mussert  a pro German, “National Socialistic Movement”, fled to Germany, but were not allowed the cross the border, On 05-09-1944, Dolle Dinsdag, Crazy Tuesday, at 12.00 o’clock some NSB’ers came back to Budel and they were shoot up by the resistance people in the local Canteen, The collaborators flew but some were captured, locked in the cellar of the Canteen and guarded by the resistance men, Zantvliet, Kappers, van der Putten and Stevens.

Dolle Dinsdag (Mad Tuesday) took place in the Netherlands on 5 September 1944 after broadcasts alleging that Breda had been liberated caused rumours to spread across the occupied Netherlands that the liberation by Allied forces was at hand, prompting celebrations. German occupation forces and NSB members panicked: documents were destroyed and many fled the Netherlands for Germany.  

Death and burial ground of Looymans, Leo, Louis and Martinus Hubertus “Martin”.

In the meanwhile the Looymans brothers Leo and Martin had derailed a train with retreating German soldiers and SS guys, nearby in the woods. The from the Canteen shooting escaped collaborators, NSB members  informed these SS men and they went to Dorplein. The resistance men with their prisoners hided in the reed of the Ringerven, a small fen behind the house of Frans Dor. At five o’clock they surrounded the house of Frans, their hiding place was betrayed and the SS men killed all of them with bayonets, beating with their butts and bullets. The Looymans brothers not involved in the Canteen event had hidden too but ran into a few stragglers SS men and killed in the same way.

      The village constable found them the next day half buried, their legs stoke out, near the railway. Operation Market Garden (see Jack Brook)  (see About) (see William Parkes)   (see aunt Peters)

     and the liberation, September 17^th, was only two weeks remote. The six brave are buried on a place of honor near the church of the little village and are honored every year on our National Remembrance Day, 04^th of May.

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